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Organisations of the Thrones
Although generally conceived as five competing provinces, the reality of power in the Tyrant Thrones of Yantir is much more complex. As Old Turai fell, warlords and raiders competed for its riches, leaving a patchwork of alliances, rivalries and territories. While the majority of these minor lords have sworn fealty to Gandara, Turai, Mhedi, Jishol or Sekelbeh, some claim a degree of independence. Above and within this patchwork are the various organisations of the Thrones. From merchant houses to mercenaries, freedom fighters to slaver gangs, groups of individuals define daily life in the Thrones as much as great lords and kings. Below, some of the major organisations in the Thrones, their leaders, locations and their goals are outlined. The Ember Band The flame of Old Turai once shone over these lands, a light of knowledge, justice and prosperity that warmed the hearts and brightened the lives of each soul within its borders. It was this fire that put fear into the hearts of the desert-folk, who glared with envious eyes at our high walls and burning watchtowers. It was this fire that kept the shadows in the jungles at bay, kept those gluttonous monsters in the depths of their ruins and prisons. It was this fire that was seen across Vhir and even the world, giving hope to all who gazed upon it. Slaves marveled at our freedoms, scholars at our knowledge, peasants at our wealth. '' ''Now, embers. Embers so faint and flickering that each passing breeze threatens to extinguish them forever. Embers so scattered and disparate that no-one alive remembers they flames they formed. Embers so small that even some among us despair at what little light they now emanate, how little warmth they now bring. We are the keepers of these embers, the protectors of the flame. We fight not for what we remember, for Old Turai was lost long before our lifetimes, instead we fight for what could be, what great flame could burst from these ashes, and burn away the poison that has defiled them. ''- Indrani Vabi, Ember Castellan The Ember Band is a group that strives to restore Old Turai to its former glory. Firmly believing in the customs and practices that prevailed before the fall of Old Turai, the Ember Band abhors slavery, tyranny and the chaos that has engulfed the region. Naturally, such ideas have put them in conflict with the ruling classes in the Tyrant Thrones, and as such the Ember Band is outlawed in most provinces. Structure Given its clandestine nature, the Ember Band relies on the courage and secrecy of its members and allies. The majority of members attempt to maintain an appearance of normality, leading average, mundane lives in the Thrones, while quietly supporting other members by providing shelter, money, contacts and information. For the leading members, many of whom openly declare their loyalty to Old Turai and the Ember Band, life is rarely sedentary, and constant movement between cities and safehouses is the norm. The Ember Band is generally split into two tiers, one for allies and general members, and one for the more elite cadre of individuals that have proven themselves to the cause. Generally, the majority of members fall into the former group, helping the Ember Band when they can, without an official rank or title bestowed on them, and without the pressures and dangers of greater involvement. Colloquially called "Embers", these allies are nonetheless the subject of significant hatred among the lords, kings and slavers of the Thrones, who view them as harbouring criminals and rebels. For the more involved members of the Ember Band, a formal system of ranks has been created, allowing for greater direction. Generally it is these members that carry out the most visible of the Ember Band's activities; raiding Slave shipments, overthrowing lords, protecting Old Turaian ruins and artefacts. The order of ranks, in descending importance, and important members within each rank, are outlined below: Activities The Ember Band engages in a wide range of activities in its quest to restore Old Turai. While the most visible and reported of these are undoubtedly the assassinations and raids on slave caravans and slaver gangs, the Ember Band also commits significant resources into researching and protecting the relics and lost sites of Old Turai. While many of its members are ex-slaves, usually freed by the Ember Band themselves, some of its most valued allies are scholars, who feed the Ember Band information on ruins and forgotten places of Old Turai that are either themselves precious and worth protecting, or contain artefacts, monsters or relics that cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of tyrants. Assassinating particularly cruel of vicious lords is one way in which the Ember Band shape the Thrones, although they are extremely careful and circumspect in assassinations, since often they rightly fear replacing one evil with a greater one. Nevertheless, these assassinations, sometimes high profile, arouse the paranoia of the ruling class of the Thrones, and are the main reason the Ember Band is hunted in many provinces. Areas of Influence Allies and members of the Ember Band can be found in many places of the Thrones, although some areas are much more central to the Ember Band's plans than others. * Turai is naturally their home province and functional headquarters, although it is also the area in which they are most hunted and despised by the ruling elite. The struggle for Turai is one that is played out in raids, hangings, assassinations and butchery, often on both sides. * Elsewhere, the Ember Band tries its best to thwart the slaving practices of the Gandaran pirates, and has several remote bases in the Thousand Isles. * In Mhedian lands the Ember Band is less prevalent, viewing the Mhedian tribes as an occupying force, and unwilling or unable to alleviate the woes of Mhedian citizens. Ossa has a slightly larger number of Ember Band members, due to its history as a major city in the Thrones and the opportunities there to destabalise Mhedian rule. * Jishol is one province in which the Ember Band has almost no presence, and indeed no operations of any kind are carried out there, due to the prevalence of divination and fortune-telling that have betrayed the Ember Band to Jisholi mages too many times. * The Ember Band plays a minor role in Sekelbeh, and a much less aggressive one than elsewhere. Seeing the necessity to supply their outposts, the Ember Band often cuts deals with the authorities in Sekelbeh for shipments of food, a fact that causes ceaseless arguments among the higher tiers of Ember Band members, who view these deals as nothing less than a betrayal of their values. Merchant Guilds Old Turai was a nexus of trade and commerce, importing and exporting exotic goods to and from the entire continent of Yantir. Although Old Turai has fallen, the riches and resources on which it was built have endured. Within, between and beyond the realms of the lords and kings of the Thrones merchants ply their trade, trading goods as mundane as rice and slaves to as exotic as animals, magical artefacts and manuscripts. Some are practically tyrants in their own right, extorting money for basic supplies of food, others are the lifeline of small communities, working hard to provide the distant and remote with basic goods. The major Merchant Guilds in the Thrones are as follows: House Vabi Power: Extreme Location: Turai, Ossa, Leader: Rajni Vabi House Vabi dates from the peak of Old Turai. Poweful, wealthy and numerous, the sons and daughters of Vabi traded just about anything, expanding their trade network across Old Turai and beyond, even having a trading post in Okarthel. When Old Turai fell, the wealth of Vabi was plundered by raiders, looters and despots, its vast network of trade routes ripped apart by war. In Ossa, the headquarters and home city of the clan, the leaders of the House tried desperately to broker peace with the Mhedian Confederacy, and paid a hefty sum to keep their possessions and lives after the Wyrm Queen conquered the city. Since then, House Vabi has seen a resurgence, opening fortified trading posts across the lands of Turai, Mhedi and in the Thousand Isles. Some see their success as a result of their close ties with the new, Mhedian nobles in Ossa, others see the mysterious Rajni Vabi, the head of the house, as the core of their success. In truth it is a mixture. While Vabi enjoys the support and compliance of the nobles of Ossa, who depend on Vabi for luxuries, slaves and loans, Rajni has expanded Vabi's range of services, brokering agreements with powerful slaver groups and mercenaries. House Vabi has thus become as much a political force as a commercial one, and affects the lives of all in Ossa in some way, and drawing the ire of the Wyrm Queen, who views the merchant house as a force of opulence and weakness, eroding the loyalty of her vassals in Ossa and weakening her hold over the city. Mercenary Companies Although they hold little or no territory, the Mercenary Companies of the Tyrant Thrones nonetheless exert great power in the region, both politically and militarily. Some Companies have been in the service of particular lords for decades, becoming indistinguishable from the standing armies of the province, while others, usually the more renowned and expensive, shift their loyalties constantly, travelling across borders or even across sides of a battlefield to aid their new employer. The details of some of the major companies of mercenaries are outlined below, but the nature of the Thrones means there are many, many more groups of people willing to sell their sword-arms for the right price. The Burnished Company Force: 6'000 - 8'000, varies Location: Turai, Ossa, Gandara Leader: Shivash, Lord of Keshk The Burnished Company is one of the most powerful, and feared, mercenary companies in the Thrones. Originally a section of the Old Turaian military, they broke off and declared their services for sale, gaining a reputation as brutal enforcers, pacifiers, and peerless heavy infantry. Highly recognisable in their heavy bronze plate, the Burnished Company offer small divisions of 20 to 100 men for the use of Lords in controlling their provinces. As such, the area of activity for the Burnished Company is very large, and is centrally managed from their fortress at Keshk, on the coast of the province of Turai. Keshk was forcibly seized by the Burnished Company, who needed an independant, fortified location to house and train their troops. Although seldom bought as a major force in a pitched battle, due to the prohibitive cost, the Burnished Company has nonetheless turned the tide of several battles between Mhedi, Gandara and Turai, often switching sides every few years. Due to their military abilities and fortified locations, the provinces simply endure these betrayals, and local lords are more than willing to overlook the Company's dubious loyalty, so long as they continue to crush rebellion and collect taxes on the Lord's behalf. Sons of the Storm '''DO YOU HEAR THE THUNDER? THE WAR GOD CALLS, LET YOUR CRIES ANSWER, FORTH INTO THE BREACH!' - ''Lord Vasritte at the siege of Alaxis Force: 10'000-14'000, varies Location: Turai, Ossa, Mhedi Leader: Lord Vasritte The Sons of the Storm are one of the largest mercenary bands in the Thrones. Feared by many rulers for their erratic campaigns and leadership, the Sons of the Storm nonetheless thrive on the coin and wars of the region, replenishing their lost with fresh recruits and travelers seeking fame, gold or a place to sleep. Lord Vasritte, leader of the Sons, is a charismatic and inspirational leader, relying on a potent combination of brilliant tactics, political cunning and apparent madness to navigate his great company through the Thrones. Having taken control of the fort of Alaxis in 4 DE, Vasritte now sits as one of the de facto lords of the Thrones, controlling more soldiers at his fingertips than most do across their domains. Cavissa's Eyes and Ears '''I presumed that since I was paying the coin, you answered to me!' '' '''My dear Lord Jemebe, what makes you think you were the first bidder for my loyalty? Or the highest?' Force: Unknown Location: Unknown Leader: Cavissa Tojoq Cavissa's Eyes and Ears are spread throughout the Thrones, seemingly under the employ of dozens of lords and nobles at once, yet truly serving none but Cavissa herself. To some, she is a purveyor of lies and half-truths, sowing paranoia and fear and reaping a harvest of gold and power in return. To others she is a puppeteer, guiding the Thrones towards some unknowable end. For those who hire her, she is a font of unsettling truths and innumerable plots. The information she provides becomes a drug for those who relish it, and Cavissa has led many a noble down a path of increasing paranoia and fear, into madness. Despite her penchant for uncovering treacheries, Cavissa has often left the plots of the Ember Band uncovered, much to their relief. It is unclear whether this hesitation on her part is out of sympathy, shared ideals, or some bond between the two groups. The Riders of Ghalal Lord Jemebe has quit the field my lord, only his slave ranks remain. Ride them down Mulla, ride them down. Of course, my lord. Force: 800-1'000 Location: Mhedi and Turai Leader: Akelo Mulla The Riders of Ghalal take their name from a Medhian myth of a host of demons who would ride through the desert, burning everything in their path. As a mercenary group specialisng in shock cavalry, the Riders of Ghalal are paid handsomely for their ability to swing a battle upon a timely charge. Their elite nature has netted them the finest horses and equipment, further enhancing their prowess. Despite their splendour, the Riders shirk from no command, and many a fleeing enemy has fallen, pierced by lances or trampled by a hundred hooves. Akelo Mulla, the leader of the company, prides his soldiers on their abilities, and it is said one can only join the Riders after being able stand on one foot atop a galloping horse, though this is likely only a tale told by the Riders themselves. The Bloody Band of Vhalka Slay the survivors, raise the dead. The blood has revealed our employer's treachery, we will paint his palace red and divine our course from the entrails of his beloved. Force: 50 Living, 200-500 Undead Location: Sekelbeh, Mhedi, Jishol Leader: Vhalka The Bloody Band of Vhalka is the most feared of all companies in the Thrones. While many mercenary groups turn to pillaging between contracts or after victories, robbery and arson would be welcome alternatives to the bloodcurdling activities of Vhalka's Band. Known to raze whole villages and sacrifice the inhabitants to her dark gods, the Bloody Band snakes through the Thrones, sowing terror in its wake. For those brave enough to hire her, Vhalka and her mage retinue rain death and hell upon their enemies, while unleashing waves of undead to break enemy ranks amidst the fire and lightning they call down. Said to be an exile from Jishol, Vhalka nevertheless has been spotted in those lands, though her ultimate goal, assuming she is not simply insane, is unclear. She has however recently claimed the ruined fort of Sundar north of Sekelbeh, though whether this signals an end to her marauding, or merely a place to conduct her vile rituals is uncertain. The Serpent Company Drink of the venom my brother, let his visions fill your mind, and release you from this dark earth Force: ~1'800 Location: Sekelbeh, Ossa Leader: Xynnir Ghola To call the Serpent Company mercenaries is slightly misleading, as they have only ever fought in one battle and never collected the payment offered for their service. It is perhaps more accurate to call them a cult. Emerging out of Sekelbeh in 6DE, the group under the leadership of a person known as Xynnir Ghola. Drifting along the Davaat road before settling in Ossa, the group seems content to lounge and consume the Serpent's Water, a hallucinogen that allegedly lets them commune with Xynnir himself. To support themselves, the group has ingratiated itself with Ossa's lower elements, working as smugglers, slavers, debt collectors and hired muscle for coin, while gathering frequently to partake of the Serpent's Water. Whatever the goals of the group, the semi-divine status bestowed on Xynnir by them has troubled some of the Lords of the Thrones, not least because it is unclear who, what or even where this Xynnir is, or what he hopes to achieve by crowing his following.Category:Organisations Category:Turai Category:Yantir